Shakespeare turned to a different genre, and the long narrative poem Venus and Adonis was published in 1593, the first of Shakespeare's works to be published by Shakespeare. Plays belonged to theatre companies and were often printed irregularly, but the poet could publish his work without difficulty. This poem was followed by another long narrative poem, The Rape of Lucrece, first published in 1594. Although The Comedy of Errors was not published until 1623, it presumably was written much earlier and was first performed in 1594. Love's Labour's Lost followed in 1594–1595, to be followed by Love's Labour's Won, which survives only in a small fragment.
In 1600, A Midsummer Night's Dream was printed, but it may have been performed as early as 1595, which is also thought to be the date of the composition of The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, first published in 1597. Both plays offer contrasting views of love and marriage. The Tragedy of King Richard the Second follows, but this play, whose abdication scene was said to have been deleted during the lifetime of Elizabeth I, was not printed until 1597. Although it was not published until 1623, The Life and Death of King John is usually dated at about 1596. Because of its perceived anti-Semitic content, The Merchant of Venice has been surrounded in controversy, but when it was first registered in 1598, its content simply reflected accepted views.
Shakespeare turned once again to history for inspiration with the composition of The History of Henry the Fourth (1 Henry IV), first printed in 1598. Comedy appeared next with the composition of The Merry Wives of Windsor in 1597–1598. Although not printed until 1600, Shakespeare probably wrote The Second Part of Henry Fourth immediately after he finished the first play in the sequence. But as he had done before, he penned a comedy after the historical play — this time, Much Ado About Nothing, probably composed in 1598, but soon followed by The Life of Henry the Fifth in 1599. Another history followed, but this time Shakespeare turned to early Roman history for inspiration. Although The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was not published until 1623, its composition is thought to be 1598–1599. With the composition of As You Like It, probably in 1599, Shakespeare recalls the influences of earlier pastoral poetry; however, this comedy marks the end of the playwright's light romantic comedies.
